Four Oklahoma high school homosexuals were charged last 1 February with raping two boys aged 12 and 16 after a wrestling tournament in January, police said.
All suspects were members of the Norman North High School wrestling team. Three were charged as youth offenders and one was charged as an adult stemming from the 9 January incident, police in Norman said.
According to court documents, the two victims were assaulted on a bus after a wrestling tournament in Garvin County, and the 12-year-old was assaulted a second time when the bus arrived back at Norman North High School.
The adult suspect was charged in Garvin County with felony counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation by force and fear, meaning rape with an object other than a sexual organ. He was also charged with two counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, police said.
The three other suspects were charged with rape by instrumentation and two counts of rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, police said.
In addition to the arrests, an adjunct coach was dismissed in January and another coach was suspended, the school district said.
"As we address the inappropriate behavior displayed by several (gay) students, we remain committed to supporting the vast majority of our student athletes, who are quality individuals that demonstrate positive behavior and strong character traits," Joseph Siano, superintendent of Norman Public Schools, said in a statement.
All suspects were members of the Norman North High School wrestling team. Three were charged as youth offenders and one was charged as an adult stemming from the 9 January incident, police in Norman said.
According to court documents, the two victims were assaulted on a bus after a wrestling tournament in Garvin County, and the 12-year-old was assaulted a second time when the bus arrived back at Norman North High School.
The adult suspect was charged in Garvin County with felony counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation by force and fear, meaning rape with an object other than a sexual organ. He was also charged with two counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, police said.
The three other suspects were charged with rape by instrumentation and two counts of rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, police said.
In addition to the arrests, an adjunct coach was dismissed in January and another coach was suspended, the school district said.
"As we address the inappropriate behavior displayed by several (gay) students, we remain committed to supporting the vast majority of our student athletes, who are quality individuals that demonstrate positive behavior and strong character traits," Joseph Siano, superintendent of Norman Public Schools, said in a statement.